All of Us
by E. Blazer
Summary: The Petrelli name still sounds like money and power, only now the money is exchanged on massive ships Petrelli Class, they fight to get approved and power means Alliance tied. A HeroesFirefly crossover


Another fic from the ol' LJ. This one was inspired by a conversation with an LJ friend about how much the Responsible, Protective Nathan and Enthusiastic, All-Powerful Younger Peter was rather resembling the Responsible, Protective Simon and the Enthusiastic, All Powerful, Crazy River. So I decided to cross them. Reviews are like candy canes, tasty, good treats I crave this holiday season.

All of Us: A Heroes/Firefly Crossover

By Eileen Blazer

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Another time, another place, and the Petrelli name still sounds like money and power, only now the money is exchanged on massive ships (Petrelli Class, they fight to get approved) and power means Alliance-tied. Nathan folds up his sleeves and reports to a room with no address and isn't allowed to tell anyone what he does, or with whom. It works out just fine for him, though, because he's used to keeping secrets (the Alliance, for instance, has no idea he's a spy).

His brother is still crazy. There was a time, a couple years back, when all Peter would talk about was the war. Why weren't they taking up arms. Why didn't they pour all their money into Browncoat-inventory, and _do_ something for a change. How could Nathan bear to rub elbows and drink with the same men who were killing for Unification (_because, Peter, the Browncoats are going to lose, and we have to stay standing_). Then Peter was quietly recruited into an Alliance program because he developed some special qualities (Nathan, too, but he never mentions it – he's not an idiot) and he wanted to go into hiding instead.

Difficult, to hide one of the Core's favorite sons. They manage though, keeping him underground, in disguise. Most of the time, everything is shiny, but on occasion someone recognizes him and then he has to disappear all over again before rumors grow. It was an old woman, the last time, last week, with a small, shaky, wrinkled hand that pointed out to people, _Isn't that that Petrelli boy_?

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Nathan loosens his collar while he waits and runs a hand through his hair. On one side of him, Hiro stares up at the sky, anxious for the sight of the much expected Firefly-class ship. At his other side, Peter frowns. He doesn't want to go – blames the Alliance for being the Alliance, and Nathan for being Nathan – but there's not much of a choice for any of them.

Several slow minutes pass before finally – _finally_- the ship called Serenity falls into view, looking like a junkyard glued together and flying with all the elegance of a leaf on the wind. It touches ground and the doors slip open and the first person out is a young girl who dashes towards them, declaring with all earnest, "Rain water falls on the painting and smears all the colors. Can't see what was drawn."

Peter's hands find her shoulders and steady her for a moment, before an exasperated voice calls out - "River!" And the second person out is a young man in a vest, looking like rumpled refinement. Hair slicked, hands clean, and clothes that remind Nathan of his own closet – there is no way this is the vagabond Malcolm Reynolds he's heard about. After another moment, things sort of click and Nathan remembers the Tam Family, who was less lucky than Petrellis. Simon Tam, the man who paid for his sister's freedom with his own, and River – the dangerous one. "River, come here," Simon says and eases her from Peter's arms into the cradle of his own. "I'm sorry, she doesn't..." He glances up and frowns. "Nathan Petrelli?" He pulls River back, and narrows his eyes.

"What is it?" Asks another man, who entered the scene so quietly Nathan didn't notice him until now. The long, brown, over-used duster matches the weariness on his face and gives it away: _this_ is Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity. His fingers twitch slightly, and Nathan knows there's a gun or two beneath the folds of that duster.

"The Petrellis are major players in Alliance policy," Simon explains.

"So were the Tams," Nathan reminds them all.

But the young doctor has the captain's ear, and Reynolds gives him, Peter, and Hiro a careful, hard look. "I didn't come looking for no trouble, but if this is a set-up..." He doesn't finish his sentence, but Nathan was a soldier once, too, and he can recognize a man with death on his hands.

"It's_not_. My brother needs a quiet ride out of the Core and I was told you could provide that." There's a better explanation, about underground efforts and the path of information, but secrets wouldn't be secrets if they were told to every mercenary on the street. He sets his jaw and drops an arm around Peter's shoulder because he can tell the younger man wants to talk out their situation to strangers and needs to keep him silent. He doesn't notice the gesture of restraint echoes the protective arm Simon keeps around River.

"Anything Alliance-related is gonna cost you double," Reynolds declares after a moment.

"Give me your price and I'll give you my word." Peter sighs, and Hiro flips open the top of his bag. The assistant found it on a planet somewhere, and instantly loved it – a picture of a dinosaur embroidered onto the inside of the flap. Hiro removes Nathan's accounting book from inside and makes a note of the settled-upon price.

Another man saunters down from the ship, exclaiming the need to stretch his legs and breathe in deep, but his eyes catch on Hiro's bag and he exclaims, "Oh, _shiny_." River Tam giggles, Simon sighs, Reynolds shakes his head, Peter smiles, and Nathan closes his eyes, relieved for the moment.

This might work out.


End file.
